A Brief Respite

After dealing with the Sawsbuck, Yuga proceeded quickly toward the location of the underground world with his Bellossom, aiming to reunite with Sora and the others as soon as possible.

In the central region of Pinwheel Forest, the Pokémon didn't pose much trouble for Yuga. However, upon entering the inner area, their attitude toward outsiders changed significantly.

Throughout the journey, Yuga's Bellossom faced numerous Pokémon attacks. However, due to the urgency of his mission, Yuga avoided engaging them unnecessarily. When he couldn't avoid a battle, he aimed for swift victories.

Pinwheel Forest, being one of the largest forests in the Unova Region, housed Pokémon with formidable strength. Especially within the inner regions, Yuga encountered several pseudo-Elite level Pokémon.

Under normal circumstances, with his Volcarona, Yuga wouldn't mind capturing a few of them to bring back to Verdanturf Town. Pokémon with the potential to reach pseudo-Elite level in the wild were usually quite exceptional.

However, he was currently pressed for time, with the mission taking precedence. If he were to delay the mission for the sake of capturing Pokémon, it would be counterproductive.

Pinwheel Forest was abundant with Bug-type and Grass-type Pokémon, primarily living in groups. Yuga encountered large swarms of Pokémon several times, which required considerable effort to bypass.

It wasn't just Yuga; Sora and Christine, who had preceded him, also faced their share of challenges. However, both of them were strong trainers, and their journey had been relatively uneventful.

By the time Yuga arrived at the destination with Bellossom, Sora and Christine were already there, engaged in a conversation with a young man wearing a green uniform.

Upon seeing Yuga and Bellossom approaching, Christine's eyes lit up. "You finally made it! We were starting to worry you'd met with trouble on the way."

Upon seeing Yuga, her heart finally settled, and her tone became more relaxed. Although Yuga had assured them that he had a way to extricate himself during their separation, Christine couldn't help but feel somewhat empty after leaving.

To say she felt guilty might be an overstatement. After all, deep down, she believed that Yuga had a solution. However, she couldn't quite find peace of mind, so her heart was always on edge, feeling neither uplifted nor settled.

Similarly, Sora shared the same sentiment. If it hadn't been for Christine pulling him away back then, he might not have left at all. He had feared the worst for Yuga, and the uncertainty had weighed heavily on him. Fortunately, Yuga had arrived safely.

Upon reaching this location, Yuga was surprised to find that the League had stationed numerous personnel to guard the entrance to the underground world. Green tents were scattered all around, and many people in green uniforms were patrolling with their Pokémon.

After recalling Bellossom, Yuga asked Sora and Christine, "Did you encounter any unexpected incidents on the way?"

Sora shook his head. "Our journey was quite smooth. How about you?"

Yuga replied, "I managed fine, no issues."

At that moment, the young man who had been talking to Christine and Sora approached.

"You must be Shimizu Yuga. Welcome," he said.

Yuga nodded. "Thank you."

The young man introduced himself, "I'm Lloyd, and I'm in charge here."

Yuga was surprised by Lloyd's young age but respected his position. "It's good to meet you. We're here to explore the deeper parts of the underground world."

Lloyd smiled and explained, "Most of us here were temporarily reassigned from the Investigator Bureau to handle the outer perimeter of the underground world. As for venturing deeper, we'll rely on you to explore and gather information."

Yuga nodded in understanding. The situation in the deeper parts of the underground world remained unknown. If it weren't for their scheduled competition, the League would have already sent others to investigate and assess the situation before proceeding further.

Lloyd: "Let's start by taking you to rest. After we brief you on the situation here, you can commence your mission. It's also an opportunity for your Pokémon to rest."

Yuga: "Thank you for your assistance."

Under Lloyd's guidance, Yuga, along with Sora and Christine, were led to a makeshift building. Once they were seated, Lloyd had someone pour them glasses of tap water.

Lloyd remarked, "Conditions here are quite basic, so we can only offer you tap water. I hope you don't mind."

Sora replied, "No need to worry; tap water is perfectly fine."

Lloyd then unfolded a simple map in front of them and began to provide an overview of the underground world.

"This underground world appears to have existed for a long time, and the flora here consists of ancient species that haven't been seen for ages. These plants are extraordinarily large, making movement inside quite challenging.

Additionally, we've identified several species of Pokémon within this area. Apart from the ones we've detected at the entrance, such as Tirtouga, Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto, Kabutops, and numerous modern Pokémon species coexist within. These include Roggenrola, Dwebble, Drillbur, and more.

We've gathered preliminary information about the peripheral areas, and many sections have already been cleared. Your task is to venture deeper and gather information from there."

Lloyd marked the known areas on the makeshift map, which resembled a fan-shaped region, highlighting areas where large numbers of Pokémon were known to reside.

He continued, "I suggest that you don't move together as a group. Firstly, having all three of you together makes you more conspicuous, and you're here to gather intelligence, not to engage other Pokémon in combat.

This place is teeming with hostile Pokémon, far more than you might imagine, and once detected, conflict is inevitable.

Secondly, you're on a tight schedule. Although the exact dimensions remain unknown, the underground world likely covers a substantial area. Staying together would impede the efficiency of your mission."

After listening to Lloyd's advice, Yuga and the others fell into a contemplative silence. They couldn't help but acknowledge the logic behind Lloyd's words.

Lloyd continued, "If you decide to split up, I recommend three separate routes—one from here, another from here, and the last from here. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I believe you'll be able to complete the mission successfully."

As he spoke, Lloyd pointed out the suggested routes on the map, following the fan-shaped layout of the known regions.

Yuga turned to look at Sora and Christine. "What do you think? Personally, I'm inclined to follow Mr. Lloyd's advice."

Sora replied, "I have no objections."

Christine waved her hand and said, "If you guys are okay with it, then I'm fine too. Well, I was hoping to latch onto some big brothers, but I guess that's not happening now."

With that somewhat exaggerated "I'm so weak" tone, Christine made Yuga and Sora roll their eyes once again. Yuga couldn't help but think that Christine's way of speaking resembled what they called a "green tea b****" in legends...